Sanding block



SANDING? 'BLocx Filed lay a4, 1939 INVENTOR 7f WELL W VANDE IPVEFE ORNEYS M m H 1 N. 2 B F g 2 Patented Sept. 10, 1940 PATENT OFFICE SANDING BLOC-K Jewell W. Vanderveer, Erie, Pa., assignor of onehalf to E. E. Walker, Erie, Pa.

Application May 24, 1939, Serial No. 275,496

3Claims. (c1. 51 1s5 This invention relates broadly to abrading devices and more specifically to improvements in sandpaper blocks for'shaping and finishing plain or curved surfaces of Wood and metal work pieces.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a sanding block having an abrasive material attached to one face thereof, and constructed to facilitate the ready removal of relatively narrow strips of the material forming the block to form secondary sanding blocks or tools for the purpose of filing or shaping small grooves, crevices and apertures in the work pieces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sanding block having the abrading material on one face thereof and constructed to facilitate the ready separation of strips therefrom so that the block in its entirety or the strips severed therefrom may be used in working one of the faces of a ledge without marring the surface of the work piece normal thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sanding block which is adapted for conforma- 2: tion to concave, convex or irregular surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sanding block which is economic of manufacture, a tool which is serviceable for sanding operations which could not be performed with sandpaper merely wrapped about a holder and a tool which may be readily adapted to the foregoing usesby a person of limited 'm'echanical ability.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing and the manner in which all the various objects are realized will appear in the following description.

Referring to the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the sanding block constituting the-present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the block illustrated in Fig. 1 when adjusted for use in finishing a convex surface;

Fig. 3 is an end View of the block illustrated in Fig. I adjusted for use in finishing a concave surface;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views in perspective of modified forms of the improved sanding block illustrating structural details contemplated to facilitate the manipulation of the block with greater ease;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of an alternate construction of the improved sanding block;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective illustrating the appearance of one of the strips or segmental portions of the block' shown in Figs. 1 and 6 after removal from the body thereof; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are end views of alternate forms of blocks of the type illustrated generally in Figs.

4 and 5.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the sanding block comprises a rectilinear body l0 preferably formed of wood or a pressed or molded plastic of a character which can be readily split or cut. The block is formed with a plurality of relatively :narrow, parallel grooves or kerfs II extending throughout the length of the block substantially throughout the thickness thereof. The plain or J5 ungrooved face of the block is provided with an abrasive. material l2, such as sandpaper or emery cloth, glued or cemented thereto, the grade or character ofthe abrasive varying with the type and character of work to be finished. '20 When the block is formed of wood the saw kerfs I l areripped in the block parallel the grain, and the best results may be obtained by use of a soft, straight grained lumber which can be readily cut or split. i i As illustrated in Fig.2,-the block l0 may be wrapped about a convex surface by first cutting, scoring or splitting the portions of the block beneath the kerfs I I, placing the abrasive coated surface 82 in contact with the curved surface "30 of the work, then by exerting sufficient pressure conforming the block to the face of the work piece to be finished. The block may also be deformed to finish concave surfaces by bending-the block in the opposite direction and forcing the 35 block int'o intimate contact with the work. Obviously, the limitation ofthe arcuate deformation of the block is controlled by the width and configuration of the kerfs or grooves ll. When it is desired to file or shape a narrow recess or 40 aperture in the work piece, one or more strips of the block, as defined by the grooves H, may be out or split from the body thereof to form tools or instruments M of the character illustrated in Fig. 7. The upper face of an end 45 portion of such strips may be trimmed or cut away, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 7 to form the nose I5, which will accommodate the entry of the tool in small apertures or narrow cavities. 50

In the modified forms illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the upper surface of the block is provided with a relatively heavy paper binder sheet [6 to maintain the surface of the block upon which the abrasive material is attached in a straight or fiat 55 condition. By use of the paper sheet IE, it will be recognized that in the event it is desired to use a block prepared in this manner for finishing arcuate surfaces, the binding sheet will be severed at the same time the portions [3 beneath the grooves are cut or split in separating the strips from the block.

The block illustrated in Fig. 4 is formed with laterally extended side portions or ledges I! which protrude from the side wall l8 to provide a finger grip for the user, when finishing a corner or one face of a right angle ledge in the work piece.

An alternate form of finger grip is shown in Fig. 5. In this construction an arcuate recess I9 is formed in the opposed sides of the block, such recesses constituting pockets for gripping the block without material sacrifice to the guiding surface provided by the remaining portions of the side walls.

In the. embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6, the sanding block comprises a plurality of separate strips 20, having the abrasive material l2 cemented to' the lower faces thereof and further bound together by a paper sheet I6 glued upon the upper face of the composite block.

The use of a block of this character is similar to that of the embodiments heretofore described, though obviously each of the strips in the block must be tapered or formed with shouldered ledges if the block is to be used to finish a work piece having a concave surface. When it is desired to remove one of the strips or sections 20 from the.

block, the paper sheet IB is first severed with a sharp instrument, the strip 20 is next bent slightly downward and then the abrasive material I2 is out along the line of the joint between the contiguous strips. If an abrasive backing material of a brittle character, such as that used in the so called Wet and dry sandpaper, is employed, the strip may be readily broken from the block after the paper sheet l6 has been severed.

The strips 20 forming the composite block illustrated in Fig. 6 may also be suitably banded to perform the functions contemplated herein by the application of a thin coating of glue on one or both ends of the strips and, if desired, a paper or cloth backed abrasive material may be employed in substitution for the plain binding sheet l6 referred to in connection with the disclosures of Figs. 4, 5 and 6. I

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the block I0 is formed with a plurality of parallel grooves H in the opposed faces thereof, the grooves being in vertical aligned relation, the depth of the grooves in each of the faces extending slightly less than one-half way through the block so that the remaining body of the block 2| may be readily severed when it is desired to form strips therefrom.

In this embodiment the opposed faces of the block are provided with a binding sheet 22, one or both of which may have an abrasive coating.

As illustrated in Fig. 9, the block is formed with grooves which extend substantially throughout the thickness of the block,the grooves, however, being formed in opposed faces and in staggered relation with respect to the depth of cut.

In this embodiment as in the block shown in Flg. 8, the strips 23 defined by the grooves H are restrained from accidental separation by the binding sheets 22, which may be either paper, cloth or a similar material which may receive and support an abrasive.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. An abrading tool, comprising a wooden block 3 having a plurality of parallel saw kerfs in one face thereof, extending throughout the length of said block and substantially throughout the thickness thereof to facilitate arcuate deformation of the block throughout the width thereof and an abrading material cemented upon the face of the block opposite said grooves.

2. An abrading tool, comprising a wooden block having a plurality of relatively narrow, parallel kerfs extended throughout the length of the block with the grain and substantially throughout the thickness thereof, and a sandpaper sheet cemented to the face of the block opposite said grooves.

3. An abrading tool, comprising a block having a plurality of relatively narrow, parallel grooves in one face thereof, extending throughout the length of the block, a sheet of abrasive material cemented to the face of the block opposite said grooves, the width and depth of said grooves being proportioned relative to the thickness of the block to facilitate convex deformation of the face of the block upon which said abrasive sheet ,is cemented.

JEWELL W. VANDERVEER. 

